


Fifth Annual Hetalia Rare Pair Week

by LukaTheSelkie



Category: Hetalia: Axis Powers
Genre: M/M, Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-21
Updated: 2020-06-21
Packaged: 2021-03-04 04:54:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 9,199
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24844144
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LukaTheSelkie/pseuds/LukaTheSelkie
Summary: Prompts given by @aphrarepairweek2020 on Tumblr!June 14: Flowers - GerFinJune 15: Thunderstorm - GerManoJune 16: Stars - SwissFraJune 17: Letters - FinPanJune 18: Soulmates (or, Free Day!) - SuFraUKJune 19: Music - SpaRusJune 20: Magic - SuEng
Relationships: England/France/Sweden (Hetalia), England/Sweden (Hetalia), Finland/Germany (Hetalia), Finland/Japan (Hetalia), France/Switzerland (Hetalia), Germany/South Italy (Hetalia), Russia/Spain (Hetalia)
Comments: 4
Kudos: 19





	1. Flowers - GerFin

Tino smiles brightly at Ludwig before running off into the field. The German chuckles to himself and follows after him, picnic basket in hand. “Vait up!” He calls out, watching his silhouette get smaller and smaller in the distance.

“Hurry up! I’m not going to wait for you! I’ve got a surprise for you!” He picks up his pace a bit, holding the basket more securely in his arms. He sees Tino stop atop a hill, staring ahead of him. Ludwig jogs up the hill, wondering how the other is so full of energy he didn’t even falter. Once atop it, his eyes widen in astonishment. The grass below is littered with cornflowers and a small, white flower he can’t quite see from a distance. Tino takes his hand, and leads him to the flowers. He kneels next to one of the white flowers, and Ludwig follows suit. Upon closer inspection, they’re a type of bell flower, and absolutely beautiful. Their sweet scent is strong enough for him to want to hold his nose though. “This is a Lily-of-the-Valley. It’s my national flower. They symbolize purity and sweetness. In the language of flowers, they symbolize the return of happiness.” He drags a finger over the petals delicately. “Don’t let it fool you though! They’re very poisonous. Ingesting them, even in a small amount, can lead to a lot of trouble.” He giggles softly.

It’s slightly disturbing that Tino and his national flower are so similar. But seeing him so proud of himself and knowing he did this just for them makes his heart swell. “Jou planted our national flovers in a field togezer?” He feels his cheeks heat up in a blush. No one has ever done anything so thoughtful for him before.

“Mmhmm! It’s something small I wanted to do to show the world our love.” He stands, and kisses Ludwig’s cheek. “We should have our picnic now. I left a spot bare in the very center of the flowers, just for us.” He’s almost certain he can see a slight blush on the Finnish man’s face. “It’s very private! Not that a field in the middle of nowhere isn’t private. But it feels more secure since we’ll be surrounded by a wall of flowers. Come!” Tino helps him up, and they make their way through the flowers gingerly. Once they’re in the center, they prepare the picnic together, stealing innocent kisses that only lengthen their setup time. When they’re finally finished, they sit across from each other to enjoy their meal. “Ah! Kyllä! I wanted to know if you know more about your national flower?”

“Of course I do,” he smirks, rising to the unspoken challenge. “Unmarried people used to vear it in zeir buttonhole to show zeir marriage status. It is  ze symbol of ze Estonian political party, or Finnish Party. It is famous for its beauty und unique uses. It is considered a romantic und inspirational flover.” Tino covers his smile.

“I’m impressed.” He reaches out and picks one of each flower. “Lean toward me.” Ludwig does so without question; he trusts his love. He places the flowers in his hair, tucked behind an ear each. “There! Now everyone can know you are pure, sweet, romantic, inspirational, and my return to happiness.” He turns crimson in a matter of seconds, having not expected such a loving compliment. Tino pokes his cheek and lays his hand there, then kisses his forehead. “You are incredibly cute when you’re blushing. I just want to eat you up.” He nips at his nose to make a point. “But I won’t do that, because then I wouldn’t have such a loving boyfriend. That would be a shame.”

“Jou can finish jour actual food I made for us instead. Zen, ve can lay on ze blanket und enjoy the scent of ze flowers zat ze breeze brings to us.” Ludwig suggests.

“I like that idea!” He hurries to eat more of his food. The German chuckles, watching him curiously as he eats his own food. When they’re done, Tino pushes everything aside and crawls into his lap. He wraps his arms around the man on his legs, and squeezes him.

“Jou need zese flovers in jour hair as vell. Jou mean ze exact same zings to me.” He kisses the shell of his ear, and lays back so they can watch the clouds chase each other.


	2. Thunderstorm - GerMano

“Where is my brother, potato bastard?” The man shoves his way through the door, and immediately starts searching around the house. Ludwig blinks a few times, surprised at the boldness. He should have expected it the moment he saw Lovino outside his door, but he never would have imagined he could be  _ that _ brazen. Walking into his house, uninvited? He closes the door quietly, and turns to face the Italian.

“He’s not here.”

“Liar!” He gets an accusing finger pointed at him. “He told me he was coming here!” He steps closer, practically snarling. “Tell me where he is right now!” Ludwig sighs heavily. Of course Feliciano would tell him where he was going. Gilbert can be a bit… unreliable.

“Mein bruder asked him out on a date. I have nein idea vhere he ist past zat.” Lovino glares daggers into him. “Vhat? I told jou vhat I know!”

“Your brother can’t keep his mouth shut when he’s excited. I know you know at least his plans. Maybe not the order, but you know where he’s taking my brother.” Scheiße. He’s smart.

“Fine. He vants to take him for a movie und a meal. Knowing mein bruder, he took him to ze movie first. He vill eat as much as he can zere, so he doesn’t embarrass himself in front of Feli vhile zey are having a romantic meal togezer.”

“Then I need to follow after them!” He tugs his jacket closed around himself, and yanks the door open. His enthusiasm all but disappears when a heavy sheet of rain appears out of nowhere. His entire body droops in sorrow. Ludwig grabs his wrist gently and pulls him inside, closing the door.

“Jou can’t leave now. It’s raining too hard out zere. Jou could vash avay.” He’s already wet as is.

“Let go of me!” He yanks his hand away from him. “Don’t you dare ever touch me ag-” The sky outside lights up, and thunder is soon to follow. He practically flings himself into the German’s arms, burying his face in his chest. His grip is tight, and Ludwig tries his hardest not to move. He’s never been this close to him so willingly before. It’s sort of nice. Lovino smells like chocolate and pine, something he wasn’t expecting. There’s another strike of lightning, and more thunder. This time it rumbles longer, and he feels the smaller man squeeze him tighter. “Not a single word about this to anyone, dammit!”

“Of course not.” Ludwig brings his hands up slowly, cautiously wrapping his arms around him. He melts into him, letting out a quiet sigh of… content? “Lovino?” He makes his voice as soft as he can, but the man still jumps. He peels himself away, and crosses his arms over his chest.

“I was not clinging to you! That never happened!” Another rumble of thunder, and he’s back in the larger man’s arms. “This isn’t happening either!”

“I zink ve should make our vay to ze couch. Jou can relax better zere.” He receives a soft nod in response and walks them over to the couch, being careful not to step on him. “Can jou sit? Let me take jour coat. It must be uncomfortable.”

“No! D-don’t leave me.” He looks up at Ludwig, bottom lip trembling. He notices tears in his eyes, and brings his hand up to wipe them away. It’s an automatic response to seeing someone about to cry. Instead of cursing at him or shoving him away, Lovino lets him wipe away the tears, then nuzzles the palm of his hand. He decides not to ask why, least it upset him.

“Alright. I von’t leave jou. I promise.” He lowers them down onto the couch.

“You better not, you potato bastard!” He lightly thumps against his chest, huffing angrily. “If you do, I’ll-” lightning strikes again, and the power flickers off. He crawls into his lap with a whimper as the thunder rolls. He buries his head in the crook of his neck. His nose brushes against Ludwig’s throat, and his breath catches. Now is not the time to be having dirty thoughts! Especially about his best friend’s brother!

“I need to find some candles to light. Jou can come vith me if jou vant, but I vill not force jou to.” Lovino clings tighter to him.

“I will not be leaving you. You’re going to get scared, all alone.” Ludwig can’t help but smile.

“Ah, jou are right. Vell, ve might as vell take jour coat to ze rack vhile ve’re up. Get on mein back, zat ist ze least avkvard place for jou to be, assuming jou still vant to cling to me? For mein protection, of course.” The shorter man huffs, but maneuvers himself around to where he’s clinging to his back instead. “Can jou get jour coat, or shall I?”

“I got it, potato bastard. Just carry me to the coat rack.” He nods, and carefully carries the man to the door. He feels him move around a bit, then arms wrap around his neck. “Onward!” There’s another strike of lightning when he starts walking, and he hears a whimper nearly directly in his ear when the thunder happens. A shudder runs down his spine, but he steadfastly ignores it. “Faster, dammit! I don’t like the dark!” Just like his brother.

“Here.” He grabs his keys, and turns on the little flashlight attached to them. “Zis should help keep jou calm until ze candles are lit.” He hands them up to Lovino, who immediately starts swinging the light beam every which way. Thankfully, he knows his way through his house well, and doesn't need the light to see where he’s going. “Duck,” he comments quietly as he walks through a door frame. He notices the flashlight stop on his bed, but ignores it in favor of finding his candles. He lights one, and sets it on his bedside table. “Vould jou vant to stay in here, or-” lightning strikes again, and he can feel the energy this time. Thunder almost started before the sky lit up, it was so close.

“Ack!” The Italian grabs at his gelled hair, desperately searching for something steady to cling to. Ludwig stumbles in surprise, and they tople onto his bed, Lovino somehow landing on his torso. He presses his face into his chest, breathing erratically. He’s trembling like a leaf in the wind. He hugs the smaller man, and runs a hand through his hair. He feels him shudder, and he’s not sure if that means he’s still scared, or if he’s content now.

“Shh. It’s just a storm. I von’t let it get jou.”

“N-no.” No? What is he saying no to? “No!” He sits up quickly, startling Ludwig. “I’m not going to let you be nice to me! Even if you don’t like my brother in the way I thought you did, you still chose him over me!” He scrambles off the bed quickly.

“Vait!” He grabs his hand, but gets shoved away. “Lovino!” He stands quickly, and takes hold of his shoulders, spinning him around so they’re facing each other. The Italian immediately bows his head. “Vhat do jou mean? Chose him over jou? I zought jou didn’t like me!”

“It’s exactly the opposite,” he whispers out, barely audible. “Ti amo. Now please, let me go. I’ll brave the storm to go home.” Ludwig runs a hand through his hair in distress, messing with the gel even more.

“I know vhat ‘ti amo’ means. Mein bruder learned it for Feliciano. I vill not be letting jou go home in zis mess. Especially vhen jou feel ze same vay about me zat I do jou.” Lovino finally looks at him, eyes wide.

“You… have feelings for me too?” Hope blossoms in his expression.

“I believe I do. I have tried suppressing zem because I zought jou hated me, but it ist always more painful to force meinself avay from jou zan to let meinself vatch jou be happy. Even if zat happiness vans’t vith me. Seeing jou smile makes mein stomach flip. I vill admit, I vas unaware it vas love until jou said jou love me. But it makes sense now. Love ist ze only explanation zat answers all ze confusion.” He slowly releases his shoulders. “Und I vant jou to know zat I vould never choose Feli over jou. Jou suggesting zat made me feel like mein soul had left me. Gilbert has been pining after him for centuries. I got lost in trying to help mein bruder by learning everyzing I could about him und relaying ze information, I forget to let meinself feel. But now zat I do, und jou return zose feelings, I never vant to repress zem again. Can jou ever forgive me for ignoring mein feelings for jou?”

“Hmm,” he purses his lips slightly. “Well…” he smirks mischievously. “I suppose I can find it in myself to forgive you. Maybe. Under certain circumstances.” Thank goodness there’s hope!

“Anyzing jou vant,” he says quickly.

“You must truly love me!” He giggles. “Become my boyfriend. And! You have to hold me until the storm passes. On your bed. I’m not the most confident when it comes to thunder.” He looks away sheepishly.

“Done.” He scoops him up, and lays them on his bed, wrapping an arm around him protectively. “Und I sort of noticed. But I didn’t say anyzing because I felt like ve vere getting closer. I didn’t vant to push jou avay by making jou angry.” Lovino hums softly, and kisses his nose.

“You’re forgiven, cutie. As long as I get to call you Luddy.” That’s fair.

“Of course, Lovi.”

“Mm no. I didn’t give you permission to call me th-” Ludwig presses their lips together softly. When he pulls away, Lovino’s eyes shimmer with all the happiness in the world. “Fine. You can call me that, stupid potato bastard. Just as long as you kiss me like that every time you do.”

“As you wish, Lovi.” He kisses him again, storm all but forgotten.


	3. Stars - SwissFra

Francis can’t help but shake the leg that’s not pressing on the pedals to his vehicle. He’s very nervous about his plans for tonight. What if Vash doesn’t like where they’re going? What if the clouds cover the night sky? What if the moon is too bright? What if they get lost? What if- “Francis, calm down.” He jerks his head to look at Vash for a brief moment, then turns his attention back to the road. He hears the Swiss man sigh, and feels a hand squeeze his thigh reassuringly. “I know you’ve been planning this for a long time. I’m sure it’s going to be perfect. Even if it doesn’t go exactly how you want it to. I believe in you.” He presses a soft kiss to his temple. When he pulls away, Francis feels his anxiety leave with his lips, almost as if it’s being dragged out by them. Almost.

“Oui, you’re right. I’ve known that, but I let myself get in my own head. I’m still there. I don’t think I’ll be coming out anytime soon. But you helped me realize I can’t control everything, especially the weather.” He forces himself to take a deep breath, feeling his worries trying to bubble to the surface again. He tells himself not to focus on what could go wrong beyond his control. He wants to focus on what could go right, but instead his mind decides to track to what could go wrong  _ because _ of him. He could drive off the road. He could take them to the wrong spot. They could run out of gas. They could trip on roots he didn’t notice and fall off the side of the mountain. He’s brought back to reality when Vash places a hand on his knee.

“Jou are still vorrying. Stop it.” Francis shakes his head ever so slightly.

“That’s not fair. You know I love it when you let your German accent slip out.” He places one of his hands over the hand on his knee, linking their fingers together lovingly. “I know you’re not comfortable with it, so merci for calming me with it.” His words echo in his own head. Hearing himself say them made him realize it was true. He no longer feels like his stomach is on fire, and he’s almost certain whatever is meant to happen tonight will. “Je t'aime, Vash.”

“Ich liebe dich auch.” He flips his hand so their fingers interlock. “Do jou feel any better now?”

“Oui! I do. Merci beaucoup.” He turns his head to give him a quick peck on the cheek, then places his undivided attention on the road once again.

“Francis! Nein! You could have run off the road!”

“Relax. I made sure we were on a straight part. And I didn’t fully take my eyes off it. I was watching out of the corners of them.” He grips his hand tighter, smiling brightly. “We’re almost there.” He glances up at the night sky. His heart drops to his feet. It’s dark. Too dark. The moon is covered, as are the many, many stars. Everything is ruined! But they’re so close to the location. Maybe the clouds will move away? He hopes they will! Everything has to be perfect. He’s confident their night will be.

He stops the vehicle when they’re at the spot he previously chose. He hurries to get out, so he can open Vash’s door for him. When he’s out, he closes it behind him and opens the trunk to get the small cooler he packed. He sets out a blanket on a nice flat spot on the hill, and places a lantern in the middle of it. “What are you doing?” The Swiss asks curiously.

“Come, sit! We have special occasion drinks to attend to.” He kneels on the blanket, and tugs two wine glasses out of the cooler. He pours wine into both glasses, slipping a ring into Vash’s. He excitedly watches his soon-to-be-fiancé sit across from him. He hands him the glass and gives him a bright, genuine smile. “A toast to us!”

“To us,” he muses quietly, clinking their glasses together. Francis knows that tone. He’s curious as to what he’s doing. Once he’s taken a long sip, he looks at the Frenchman. “What are we doing here? You’ve planned without telling for so long.”

“Finish your drink, and I think things will become more clear. We can’t waste my best wine, after all.” He chuckled softly, trying his hardest not to let on how anxious he is. If his proposal doesn’t go right, the entire night will be ruined! He lifts his glass to his lips, and practically chugs the wine because of his jittery nerves. He watches Vash drink most of what’s left of his. When he sees curiosity spike in his eyes, he clears his throat. “I have loved you for such a long time. Us being together had always felt like a dream. A dream come true, might I add. And you’ve shown me so much of yourself that no one else knows. I am so very thankful for that. And I can’t live as just your boyfriend any longer. So I was wondering… Will you marry me?”

“J-ja! Oh Francis!” He falls upon him, kissing him hard on the lips. He pulls away laughing. “Though you didn’t have to put the drink in the wine. But it’s so perfectly you, I wouldn’t have it any other way.” He fishes it out carefully, dries it off, and slips it onto his finger. “You kept to Swiss tradition.”

“Of course I did. It’s important to both of us.” He brushes their noses together. He feels something land in his hair, and squeaks. “Get it off! Whatever it is, get it off!” He lifts his hand to swipe it away, but Vash grabs his wrist gently to stop him.

“Nein, look.” He motions around them. Francis’ breath catches in the back of his throat. The sky is alive with blinking lights, flitting about carelessly. It’s as if the stars came to Earth to dance for them. “Fireflies. Aren’t they beautiful?” That’s why he didn’t recognize the lights.

“They’re not very common in France. They are very beautiful.” He holds out his hand, and one lands on him. He giggles, watching the insect light up, then go out. The light isn’t sudden; it fades in and fades out. But far away they seem to just appear and disappear.

“The stars aren’t out, but these are more entertaining. Will you do me the honour of firefly watching with me, my stunning fiancé?” He nods, happy tears springing to his eyes. Tonight is better than perfect.


	4. Letters - FinPan

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is based in a Royal AU of a fanfic I’m writing but haven’t completed to post yet lol. Basically all the women in the land were invited to a masquerade for Prince Kiku to find a wife. Plagued by poverty, Mathias, Berwald, Lukas, and Emil all agree Tino is the most feminine of them, and send him to the masquerade dressed as a woman. He and Kiku fall in love immediately, and revealing he’s not a woman only makes Kiku happier, as he didn’t want a wife. A jealous party-goer overhears and rats on him, causing him to get thrown into the palace dungeons. There, our story starts, months into his imprisonment.

_ My dearest, most beloved Tino, _

_ I am working night and day to get you out of there. You may have claimed my heart, but what you did to claim it was illegal. There is only so much of that I can fix without going into dangerous territories myself. If I weren’t prince I would break you out on my own, but as of now that will not set a good example for my citizens. They always come first, no matter how much I want my love back. And, believe me, I want you back in my arms. So very much. I dream of dancing with you again. Literally and figuratively. I promise I will get you out of there. No matter how much I have to sacrifice. I love you so very much. My bed awaits you. I await you. _

_ Love always, Kiku. _

Tino sighs heavily after reading the letter. As always, he wants to write one back. But receiving them is already suspicious enough. Thankfully, the guards don’t know they’re coming from the prince. But they do know they’re sealed with the royal crest, which is why none have dared open them yet. Yet, because he knows they’re super curious, and it wouldn’t take much to get them to tear into his letters. He crawls under his bed, and tugs up a loose floor tile. He brings the letter up to his lips, closes his eyes, and kisses the paper lovingly. “I won’t let you do all the work,” he mumbles. He opens his eyes slowly, and places the letter under the tile, with all the rest of them. He removes the one previously on top, and stares at his own handwriting in the gloom. He’s been writing on it every time he receives a letter from Kiku. Only a sentence at a time, but he’s gotten so many the entire page is nearly full. He’ll never let his prince see it, of course. It’s entirely too cheesy, and not at all put together well. It’s mostly flirtatious lines, but there are some of how much he misses the prince. He takes a deep breath, and adds  _ I await the day I can be in your bed with you as well. _

He hears steps coming down the hall, and shoves the letter and tile back into place. He withdraws from under the bed, and hops onto the dusty covers of it. He coughs softly, swatting his hand in front of his face to clear the air a bit. A guard shoves a tray of food into his cell. “Who’s sending you letters from the palace?” Tino’s head snaps up, and he snarls at the guard. The man laughs softly, then lowers his voice. “Relax. Prince Kiku sent me. He can’t stand not hearing from you any longer. He wants you to write a letter. I’ve got the supplies. No other guard will be down this way. They were ordered to leave you be until you finish your meal. I was instructed to stay until that happens. Of course this was a placement from the Prince, but they don’t know that. So take as much time as you need. Here.” He hands him a cloth bag, smiling slightly. “I hope you don’t mind using the same type of parchment he does.”

“Of course not. I’m actually really happy I get to use it!” He laughs, opening the bag excitedly, food forgotten. “I miss him a lot.” He frowns deeply. “We probably sound crazy. We knew each other for a few hours before deciding to get married. Then, they discovered I was in disguise.” The guard shakes his head.

“You’re not crazy. You’re in love. Love at first sight is a very real thing. I found my own at a similar party. It wasn’t a masquerade though, so our meeting wasn’t as mysterious. But it was just as perfect.” He smiles at the Finnish man. “And, in your defense, the masquerade was so he could find someone to marry. He was supposed to find a woman, which is why you wound up down here.”

“I know.” He sighs softly, closing his eyes. “They wouldn’t have let me in if I weren’t dressed as a woman though! I wasn’t expecting to fall in love with Kiku. And I definitely wasn’t expecting him to fall in love with me back.” He shakes his head. “He didn’t want a wife. He was so happy when I told him I wasn’t a woman. Why did no one listen to him?”

“He’s our prince. It’s tradition he marry a woman. But he’s threatened to run away and live with you as a peasant if he has to, the moment you are released. He’s brought it up to next week.” He brings a hand up to his mouth. “I’ve said too much. Write your letter and eat. I will give it to His Highness as soon as I can. And if there is anything you wish for me to tell him without putting it in writing, lest it get taken from me, I will relay that information to him as well. We are very close.” Tino opens his eyes slowly, and looks up at him. He nods solemnly, and gets to work writing.

_ My beautiful, kind love, _

_ I am so very thankful you have been sending me letter after letter. They have helped keep me company in this lonely place. I can almost hear your voice in my head as I read every perfect word. You have an elegant way with everything you do, especially writing. I only wish I had a sliver of that talent. All I can do is write how very much I love and miss you. Perhaps I could send you some tales of my time here? But my love first. I adore you. I have since the first moment I saw you. I wasn’t looking for love at that moment, but I could no longer deny it when I saw your eyes. They may be what most would consider a boring colour, but brown eyes show the most emotion. Even with your expression set firmly, I could see the curiosity dancing in that brown. Such a wonderfully infectious curiosity. And the trust. I have learned you do not trust easily, but there was so much of it on the night we met. You will never know how much that means to me, but I will try my hardest to show you, once I am out of here. _

_ Speaking of here, it’s been… interesting. The guards gossip a lot. The halls echo, but the cells do not. The guards cannot say anything we all do not learn. But there is other knowledge here. Knowledge the guards do not know of. It is incredibly easy to spread information within the cells. The further back you go, the less likely you are to be overheard. Everyone here is bonded. From what I can gather, they have all done trivial things. Any serious criminals seem to go deeper, or get sentenced to death. I have made a friend I wish to speak with you about releasing, once things have settled between us. I do hope we can settle things. We are still supposed to marry, aren’t we? I know I am no woman, but I will love you with everything I have. I already do, so even if we cannot marry I will love no other. I shall wait for you. _

_ Eagerly awaiting your company, _

_ Your dearest beloved. _

“Please inform him I kept it vague so he would not be tried if it falls into the wrong hands. No one can trace who it is to for certain, and it will be difficult to trace it back to me as the sender, but not impossible. I have someone in mind if I am asked who it is to.” He folds the parchment carefully, and hands it to the man.

“I am sure he will be thankful for that. Eat now, so I can return with an empty tray. But please, try to hurry. We have already taken enough time to become suspicious.” He nods, and hurries to eat the food offered to him. It tastes better than normal. He doesn’t ask what was done to it; he’s too hungry. Decent food is leagues better than the horrible slop he’s been given up until now. “This will be your best meal until the prince can get you out of here. He was able to distract the guards with his orders long enough for me to be able to slip some spices onto your food. He loves you very much, and thought this was the least he could do for being the reason you are here in the first place.”

“Thank him for that. Please. This is gourmet compared to what I’ve been given. When I am out, I plan to take over cooking for them. I know what each one is allergic to, what they love, and what they hate. I know which cells they are in as well, so it will be easy to have it delivered to the proper place, if I cannot do it myself.” He bows his head shyly. “If Kiku will allow it.”

“I am sure he would be more than happy to allow that. You have taken your time to get to know them, despite being put in here wrongly.” Tino shakes his head quickly.

“I am not in here wrongly. I believe this was the reason I was caught. I was meant to improve their lives.” He tucks a strand of hair behind his ear, smiling sheepishly. “We are an unofficial family now. And I won’t stop fighting for them.” He nods confidently, then holds out the empty tray that previously held his food. “Here. Hurry. Thank you for all you have done.” He watches the man leave without a word, and falls back onto his bed, letting his eyes fall closed. Maybe he’ll get out, one day.

A week later, the door to his cell opens, and a hooded figure makes their way inside quickly. Tino tenses up, fear coursing through his body. Who on Earth could it be? “Beloved?” The anxiety leaves him in a rush. He throws himself into the man’s arms, pushing the hood away from those beautiful black locks.

“Kiku,” he breathes out, before kissing him passionately. He’s never felt more free.


	5. Soulmates - SuFraUK

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> College AU; Scars appear on your soulmate, and vice versa. TW: Physical bullying/assault. A small bit of cussing, and implied self harm.

“Control freak!” Berwald gets shoved harshly to the ground. “You don’t deserve to live!” There’s a sharp pain in his side as he’s kicked again and again. “Who forces someone that’s not even their soulmate into a relationship?” He pushes himself up, only to be kneed in the stomach. He falls onto his side, and watches the man place his foot on his chest, rolling him onto his back. “I should just crush you right now. Whoever your actual soulmate is would be better off without you.” He closes his eyes just before spit lands on his face. “Filth.” There’s a solid punch to his face, but he doesn’t react. He waits for the person to walk away before trembling.

He curls in on himself, hugging his knees to his chest. It hurts. He should be used to the pain by now. But it hasn’t gotten any easier. Being called names for doing something he hadn’t realized he was doing. Being assaulted because of those things. It’s not like he doesn’t regret wronging Tino. His ex still wanted to be friends, but he cut it off because he didn’t want him to have to re-live anything. The Finnish man’s expression at the news had broken his heart into a million pieces, but he knew it would be better in the long run. He couldn’t hurt Tino anymore if they weren’t speaking to each other.

“Dear? Can you get up?” He pushes himself up against the lockers, assuming the voice is asking him to get out of the way. “No, no. That’s not what I meant. Are you alright? Do you need help getting up?” Berwald lifts his head up weakly, but the face doesn’t come into view. He’s missing his glasses. Where are they? He slides his hand about the ground, searching frantically for them. “Here, love.” Something touches his hand, and he opens his fingers cautiously. He feels the man press his glasses into his palm, and he slowly puts them on, body stinging. He draws himself up against the lockers, shaking violently in fear.

“Why are du giving me my glasses? Du want to punch them off my face?” The man’s expression turns to one of shock. His eyebrows are incredibly bushy, and they stand out on his face. They work well with his facial structure though. They furrow, and he shakes his head quickly.

“Of course not. Why would you-” His eyes widen. “You’re bleeding.” He brings his hand up, and Berwald flinches away from him heavily. “I won’t hurt you. I just want to wipe away the blood. What have you been put through?” He brings his hand up again, very slowly. He lets him wipe at the blood, eying him strangely.

“I deserve everything I get.” He snarls his lip up slightly. “I did something horrible. But they act like I want to do it again. I didn’t know I was hurting him in the first place! If he had just said something…” His body shudders in a silent sob.

“Hey. That’s in the past. I know who you are now. I’ve heard what they have to say about you. What really matters is that you feel bad, and Tino forgives you. He knows you didn’t mean to, and he’s been telling as many of us that will listen not to be mad at you. He-” Berwald’s eyes catch on a scar, and he can’t help but speak out.

“What happened? To your lip.” He knows that thin scar! He covers his up though, because it was a stupid mistake. How does a papercut scar anyway?

“That’s not what's important right now! You’re bleeding because of some asshat. Let me fix you up before you ask about such trivial things. Can you stand?” He nods, and lifts himself up slowly. He hisses in pain when he’s straight, his ribs screaming in agony. Thankfully, they aren’t broken. He’s had that happen before, and this isn’t near as much pain as it was then. “We need to find a sink.” The stranger takes his hand, and leads him into the nearest doorway. He stares at his own reflection over the sink as the man wets a paper towel. He looks like shit. His nose is bloody, and there’s a few fingernail indents on his cheek. “I’m going to touch you now. Please don’t flinch away.” He closes his eyes, and lets the man work on cleaning him up. “My name is Arthur. And you’re Berwald, somewhat infamous around here. Tino is adored by everyone, you know. When you hurt him, your side of the story didn’t matter. Well, to most of us. Tino forgave you, and wanted to be friends. Why didn’t you take him up on that offer? You wouldn’t be treated so poorly if you had.”

“Shut up,” he growls out. “Du don’t know that. I would be in much more pain, because I would see him re-live that pain every single day. I never meant to hurt him. But now that I have, staying in his life is going to cause more damage than leaving ever could. I might reconnect when he’s healed, but for now this is the best choice. Think before du comment next time.” His voice is filled with venom, and he’s on the verge of shaking from rage.

“I hadn’t thought of it that way. My deepest apologies. I did not mean to upset you. Hold still.” He moves closer, causing Berwald to hold his breath. He doesn’t like feeling the warmth of another anymore. “You did what was better for the person you love, knowing you would be targeted. You’re strong for that. That’s very hard to do. You did the right thing.” He pulls away, and he starts breathing again. “Open your eyes, love. I don’t see any more blood, but you can feel it, so I need you to point me to any I might have missed.”

“There’s not any left,” he mumbles as he opens his eyes. “Now will you tell me about the scar?” Arthur frowns deeply.

“Why do you care so much about it? It’s old. I had nearly forgotten about it. But, if you must know, my soulmate cut himself somehow. We still haven’t quite figured out how though. I think it’s from him placing a needle there while he sews. I told him doing that wasn’t good!” Soulmate he knows? That can’t be right. “You got me off track. I know he didn’t just punch you in the face. Where else are you bleeding?”

“Nej, I’m fine.”  _ Everything else is internal _ , he thinks to himself. “But I would like to show you something I think you will find interesting.” He grabs a bit of another towel, and vigorously rubs at his lip. The concealer comes off, and he hears Arthur gasp. “I have an answer to how that scar happened. It’s a paper cut. I tugged a paper out of my binder and it came up too fast for me to stop. It got infected because of the location, and turned into a scar.”

“We have to find Francis. He knows more about this soulmate thing than most do. He’ll be able to explain this to us. Follow me.” He grabs Berwald’s wrist and leads him through the halls, somehow flawlessly avoiding bumping either of them into anyone. He stops in a nearly empty classroom. “Francis!” An absolutely stunning man turns toward them, smiling easily. Jealousy sparks in the pit of his stomach. He wishes anything he ever did came off so simple to do.

“Oui, my sweet?” His eyes dart over to Berwald, and look him over lustfully. He yanks his arm away from Arthur and covers the vivid blush spreading across his cheeks. “Have you brought me another broken heart to fix?” He smirks. “That’s right, I know you. I have known you, since before you dated Tino. You have a unique, commonly unseen beauty. Why has my love brought you to me?”

“He says our lip scar is because of him. I want to check our other scars, but I thought bringing him to you first was the best idea. Have you ever heard of three Soulmates?” His eyes widen, then he blinks in surprise.

“I have. They honestly aren’t that rare, but it’s impossible to know if you have one or multiple soulmates. I suppose that’s why we aren’t taught about them. Everyone might think they have a third, or fourth, or fifth, or more soulmate. They would always focus on finding the possible others, instead of on loving the soulmate they do find, if they do.” He glances over Berwald again. “Show me your left shoulder.” He tugs his shirt down a bit, knowing exactly what scar he’s talking about.

“Who carved a star into one of du?” Arthur laughs awkwardly.

“That would be my brother. We thought it was a good idea at the time. It was a sort of branding we did, to show we would always love each other, no matter what we went through. He has a similar one on his right shoulder that I did.” Berwald bites inside his mouth to stop himself from smiling. That’s cute. He wishes he had done that with his ex best friend, Mathias. They were practically brothers, until the incident. Maybe a mark like that would mean they were still friends, instead of hating each other.

“So du are the hand scars. From your needles?” Francis huffs, and tosses his hair over his shoulder.

“I can’t help that I like things to look fabulous! From the store never works. So I sew in my own details. I used to be very clumsy with it though. So oui, the hand scars are me missing.” An uneasy silence falls over them. There’s other scars. Ones that Berwald knows he put on himself, but didn’t cause the other two to wonder. He bows his head, knowing he should speak up, but unable to. Thankfully, Arthur beats him to it.

“The… others… were from me. I have always been picked on for my appearance. Once Francis and I found each other, it became too much. I was ‘too ugly to be his soulmate.’ ‘Fate must be wrong about us.’ I ‘didn’t deserve him.’ A-and much more. It hurt too much not to…” Francis wraps an arm around him, and wipes away the unshed tears.

“They were all so wrong. I love you for exactly who you are.” He kisses his forehead. “I love you so very much, Arthur.” The Brit nods, words obviously stuck in his throat.

“We must have started at the same time.” Two heads snap up to look at him. Both of their expressions are full of worry, and before he can back away, they’re enveloping him in a tight hug. He melts into it, feeling truly safe for the first time in years. “I-I don’t want to-”

“No, you don’t have to tell us anything, love. We may be your soulmates, but we just met. It takes time to trust someone with that information.” Arthur cuts in, voice soft.

“Oui, I agree. Take as much time as you need. We’ll be here to listen when you’re ready to tell.” He nods, burying his face in the place their shoulders are touching, unsure if he wants to cry because he’s remembering the pain, or because he’s finally found love and safety.


	6. Music - SpaRus

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Two instances where Spain is a helpless flirt toward the man he’s been in love with for centuries.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alcohol mentioned BRIEFLY.

Ivan takes a deep breath to calm his nerves, if only slightly. He steps up onto the stage, and positions himself in front of the microphone. He closes his eyes, letting himself be absorbed into the music. He doesn’t need the lyrics on the screen. He lived through the time period the song he chose came out. It’s one of his favourites as well. Normally, he just watches the humans karaoke. But tonight, he wanted to try a traditional folk song. He’s not sure why; it’s almost as if it called to him. Silly, he knows, but something that he feels in the pit of his stomach is true. He starts to sing when it’s his cue. (Song [here](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iKa6ooXY5BQ))

Once he’s finished, he returns to his seat, shaking slightly from the adrenaline. The crowd seems awed by him, but he’s absolutely never going to sing in front of anyone ever again. He hurries to drink all of his vodka, hoping his nerves will calm down soon. He glances up in search of a bartender, and nearly jumps out of his skin when he sees someone sitting across from him. “Antonio, what are you doing here?” His accent is heavier than normal, likely because of the song.

“Mi amigo, that was amazing! I must say, it seems I have some competition in the wonderful music category.” Ivan shakes his head quickly, scooting his chair back, ready to flee. Before he can voice how he’s never going to sing in front of anyone ever again, the Spanish man is saying more. “You sounded and looked stunning up there. But why did you wait until so close to closing time? Earlier in the night, more people would have gotten to hear you. And what beauty it was! My ears are blessed. As are my eyes,” he looks him over suggestively before continuing. “You looked so at peace while you were singing. You almost looked like a painting! I wish I could have taken a picture to keep that expression with me forever.” Ivan shoves himself out of his seat, and walks briskly toward the door, trying to escape Antonio’s constant flattery. Unfortunately for him, the man follows after him, even going so far as to run ahead and open the door for him. He sighs in exasperation, and turns on him the moment they’re outside and the door has closed behind them.

“I don’t need you-”

“It’s snowing.” His voice is quiet, yet filled with joy. This catches Ivan off guard.

“Da, it snows a lot here. It’s always cold.” He furrows his brows. “You have it better. It’s so warm and nice in Spain. And you have sunflowers.”

“Aha! Go, pack! I am bringing you back with me! I will be admiring the snow while I wait for you. I will not be taking no for an answer! Hurry, we must catch the next plane!” Well, a sunny vacation does sound nice. And he wouldn’t have to worry about his sister terrorizing him while he’s gone. He nods slowly, deciding no harm can come from going back with him.

Ivan quickly figures out he was very wrong. Spain is bright and rowdy and he hasn’t slept but maybe two hours on the plane. “Antonio! Get back here!” He shouts helplessly into the crowd surrounding him. Where did he disappear to? He hears music start up, and everyone rushes toward it. He gets shoved along, flinching away from the arms and legs and who knows what else touching him. He somehow gets pushed to the front of the throng of people, and sees his companion is the one playing the music. He’s singing, too, and smiling brighter than the sun. He rolls his eyes. Dramatic _ and _ sexy. (Song [here](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fudo3fpr0Dc&list=LLfWaKFcZKSZbKHbcS5OdLQQ&index=2&t=0s))

Whoa. Where did that thought come from? He tries mentally shaking it off, but it clings tightly to him. Sexy Antonio. Sexy Antonio that’s coming closer and winking at him. He holds out his hand as the song ends. Ivan looks around, sure it’s for someone else, but no, he gets pushed toward him. He takes it carefully, truly smiling for the first time in… since he was very, very young. “What is it with you and music?” Antonio laughs heartily, and produces a sunflower from who knows where.

“Music is the language of the soul. And my soul is asking if you will be mine. I’ve loved you for so very long, but I never felt confident enough to tell you how I feel. But I won’t be afraid anymore. I want you to know I love you, and want to be with you for eternity. What do you say?” Ivan’s eyes widen in shock. After a moment, he nods, happy tears suddenly threatening to fall. He’s had suppressed feelings for Antonio! That’s the only explanation as to why he’s so happy with this development. “Ah! I am so very thankful! I love you!” He pulls the Russian in for a deep, passionate kiss that a few people whistle over. They both blush in unison at the attention, having forgotten they were in public. Antonio laughs and pulls out of the kiss. He buries his face in the crook of Ivan’s neck shyly. “The world melts away when we’re together,” he mumbles into his hair.

“I couldn’t agree more, my love.”


	7. Magic - SuEng/SuUK

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AU where they still personify countries but haven’t met each other, outside of their common circles. (Ex. The Nordics know each other well, Russia and the Baltic Trio are still together, the groups (Magic trio, BFT, Drunken trio, etc) still hang, the German brothers and Hungary know each other, etc.)  
> Witchcraft; the Pagan/Wiccan practice, not the Warlock (cast out witches) practice (which is usually not accepted within the witch community, hence them being cast out).

“Lu- Oh, s’rry, I’ll leave you b’. I d’dn’t realize you h’d c’mp’ny.” The blonde man bows his head and backs out of the room, closing the door behind him. Arthur immediately looks at Lukas, feeling excitement thrumming through his body for the first time in a long while.

“Who was that?” His friend doesn’t even look up from the book in his lap as he replies.

“That’s Sweden. Berwald. We’re practically brothers.” He waves his hand dismissively. “He’s painfully shy, which would explain why he didn’t stay very long when he saw you. He probably wants to ask me a question that can wait. If it were important, he would have asked me to leave the room. But since he didn’t we don’t have to worry about it. Let’s continue with the spell.” Lukas reaches across him and picks up a sage incense. “Disgusting. But it’s better than using actual sage, and it works nearly as well. I’m upset we couldn’t find any Thyme, that would have been the best option.” He rolls his eyes heavily. Arthur can’t help but think that looks like a health hazard.

“I wish we could do a normal cleansing and be done with it.”

“Don’t we both! But the necklace has a lot of strong energy attached to it. I wouldn’t feel safe without a protective circle.” He nods slowly, not really focusing on what he’s saying. He’s distracted by an image in his mind’s eye.

“Berwald has pretty eyes,” he watches Lukas’ head snap up, and realizes too late he said that out loud. “My deepest apologies! I wasn’t meant to actually say that. Only think it.” His friend stares at him for a long moment, expression carefully neutral. He shifts uncomfortably, thinking he made him upset. Then, he grins.

“You think he’s cute, don’t you?” Arthur feels himself flush, and he turns his head away.

“What!? Don’t be ridiculous! Of course he’s not cute!” He shakes his head vigorously, trying to convince himself just as much as he’s trying to convince Lukas.

“You’re blushing! You do think he’s cute!” He gets a vicious glare sent at him, and laughs. “Fine, fine. We don’t have to talk about it right now. But I am introducing you two. He could use a friend. He recently went through a breakup that’s been rough on him.” He feels bad for thinking it, but he can’t help but focus on the fact that Berwald is single.

~

Arthur has come to the conclusion that Berwald is absolutely _adorable_. It’s been seven months since they first met, and he’s only fallen harder for the man. But he’s not dared to say anything about it; he’s still hurting from his breakup. Which is probably what led him to what he’s doing at the moment. He takes a deep breath, and tosses a single strand of Berwald’s hair into the spell jar. He seals it, and places it in the hole he’s already dug. It’s all biodegradable material, including the container, so he doesn’t have to worry about digging it up later. It’s a healing spell jar, but only using good wishes and nothing forced. Forcing Berwald into getting better before he’s ready isn’t something he wants to do, but he sees no harm in something that’s going to help him, if he's willing to let it. He hopes it works.

~

Five months later, Berwald stumbles into Arthur’s living room at three in the morning. He had been writing a letter to confess his feelings when it happened. The universe must royally hate him. “Berwald,” he says cautiously, afraid he might startle him. He closes the door behind him quietly, staring at him the whole time. He’s obviously drunk.

“C’ll me B’rry.” Arthur furrows his brows in confusion. The Swede suddenly advances on him, wrapping his arms around his waist and burying his face into his chest with a near-silent sob. He brings his arms up, and carefully hugs him.

“Alright, love. To what do I owe the pleasure of your visit? At three in the morning.” He watches Berwald look up at him, eyes filled with… He’s not too sure what the emotion is, actually. His stomach fills with dread. He’s been able to tell what he’s feeling through his eyes for nearly a year. The fact it’s so unintelligible now concerns him to no end. “Berry?” He practically whispers.

“Jag älskar dig, min vackra häxa.” Arthur blinks a few times, confused. He’s unsure what was just said, but there’s so much sincerity behind it. It makes his heart ache. Then, he feels lips on his. It takes him a moment to register the touch, and by the time he does he’s backed against the wall. The kiss is desperate and needy, almost feral. As much as he wants it to continue, he forces himself to pull away and place his hands on Berwald's shoulders, keeping him from going back.

“Even though I would love to make out, I have to know what you said.” He flinches heavily when he realizes what he’s said.

“Nej, don’t d’ th’t.” He brings his hands up and cups Arthur’s cheeks with them. “I w’nt t’ m’ke out too.” The corner of his mouth twitches up, into an awkward smile. “I l’ve you, m’ beaut’f’l w’tch. C’n I k’ss you n’w?” The Brit stares at him in shock. After a moment, he nods. He can’t find it in himself to speak just yet. He’s too surprised.

Berwald shrugs the hands on his shoulders off, and steps close once again. He presses their lips together, but it's gentle this time. Almost fearful. Arthur wraps his arms around his neck to reassure him, and it works. He deepens the kiss, and it quickly gets heated. He pulls away with a gasp when he feels a hand in his hair. “B-Berwald,” he murmurs breathlessly. “I’ve loved you for-”

“Eight and a h’lf m’nths, b’t been int’rested ‘n me s’nce you f’rst s’w me.” His eyes widen.

“Lukas told you! I asked him not to.” Berwald chuckles, and kisses his nose.

“You are c’te wh’n you g’t ups’t. He t’ld me b’cause I w’nt t’ h’m hyp’rvent’lating. I… real’zed I h’ve feel’ngs f’r you. I w’s afr’d you d’dn’t th’nk of me l’ke th’t. S’ he h’d t’ reass’re me. I c’me str’ght h’re.”

“Ah. So you were drinking because you thought I didn’t love you back.” A nod. “Well, you couldn’t have been more wrong. I love you so very much. I’m so happy you love me back.” He pecks his lips, smiling brightly. “Now let’s get you to sleep. We can discuss this further in the morning.”

“Mm m’ybe you’re r’ght. I l’ve you, m’ l’vely m’gic w’rker.” He kisses him once more, then walks toward the bedroom, knowing Arthur won’t be opposed to sleeping together.


End file.
